Club recognised as region’s best
Inglewood Young Farmers has been recognised with a swag of accolades for its contribution to the community.
It’s been named the best NZ Young Farmers club in the Taranaki/Manawatu region, which stretches from Urenui to Wellington.
‘‘I’m so proud of our club,’’ said chairwoman Kenzie Bellringer.
‘‘It just goes to show you don’t have to be a big club to take out that award.’’
Inglewood Young Farmers is Taranaki’s third largest NZ Young Farmers club, with 23 paid-up members.
‘‘We’re a small club, but we’re really active – both socially and in the community,’’ Bellringer said.
‘‘We do something every Wednesday, whether it’s a pub night, a farm visit, a barbecue, or our monthly meeting.
‘‘The aim is to get young people out learning and socialising, and you don’t have to be a farmer to get involved.’’
The 26-year-old, who is a qualified automotive painter, is a farm assistant on a 440-cow dairy farm at Inglewood.
She was named best club chairperson in the Taranaki/ Manawatu region and the club also picked up an award for community involvement.
‘‘I’m really happy,’’ said Bellringer, who is in her third term as chair of the club.
Inglewood Young Farmers is heavily involved with the Purangi Kiwi Project and the Inglewood Lions Club.
‘‘Last year a ball we organised raised $500 for the East Taranaki Environment Trust and its important kiwi conservation work,’’ Bellringer said.
The growing club holds its meetings on the first Wednesday of every month at Fern Lodge.
‘‘Belonging to a small club is a good thing.
‘‘We all know each other and we’re all friends,’’ Bellringer said.
The chairwoman of the new South Taranaki Young Farmers club, Amelia Nicholl, also won an award for leadership.
The awards were announced at the Taranaki/Manawatu region’s annual general meeting in Whanganui over the weekend.
Central Taranaki Young Farmers member Jessie Waite was elected chair of the region.
❚ Growth rate down from 61kg DM/ha to 50kg DM/ha.
❚ There are 284 friesian cows. 2.62 cows/ha. All culls are gone from the all-grass herd and cows are being milked once a day.
❚ Empty rate is 9.8 per cent.
❚ Production is 1.1kg MS/cow/day and 2.88kg MS/ha/day. Season-todate production is 5 per cent behind last season.
❚ Autumn fertiliser is being applied which includes 40kg N/ha.
❚ Rotation length is 38 days.
❚ The latest feed quality result showed dry matter percentage of
15.4, metabolisable energy of
11.9MJ/kg DM, crude protein of
25.4 per cent, neutral detergent fibre percentage of 48.7. Sampling is sponsored by Ravensdown Fertiliser.
Current Trial: Cows were split into four herds – an all-grass farmlet stocked at 2.9 cows/ha, a herd which will be fed PKE, a herd being fed kibbled maize and a reserve herd.
Both the supplemented herds are stocked at 3.3 cows/ha and will be fed supplements when intakes from pasture are below target.
❚ For further information, visit dairytrusttaranaki.co.nz/ resources.
We do something every Wednesday, whether it's a pub night, a farm visit, a barbecue, or our monthly meeting. The aim is to get young people out learning and socialising, and you don't have to be a farmer to get involved.
Kenzie Bellringer, right.